Facebook announces new algorithm change to News Feed

Facebook has once again announced a new algorithm change that will enable it bury spammy links in a way only few people will be able to see them. The emphasis this time around will be placed on giving priority to more informative links. This will be to the detriment of those links that are posted by suspected spammers—such links, according to Facebook, will be accorded less priority in the News Feed.

If this works as it should, then links suspected to have been posted by spammers will be pushed to the background, while those with useful information will be accorded priority. According to Facebook research, such links [spammy links] “tend to include low quality content such as clickbait, sensationalism, and misinformation.” This move is aimed at according less priority to clickbait, fake news or misinformation, and sensationalism. Ultimately, users will be able to access quality news and information on the network.

Facebook is quiet on what constitutes such news [spammy or low quality information/news] in this case, but priority will indeed be accorded to links posted by credible websites and individuals. However, the company is quite clear in terms of volume of post either from individuals or website. In a blog post on Friday, Facebook’s Vice President for News Feed, Adam Mosseri gave us an insight into what the company’s plans are concerning the new change when he said:

“Our research shows that there is a tiny group of people on Facebook who routinely share vast amounts of public posts per day, effectively spamming people’s feeds. Our research further shows that the links they share tend to include low quality content such as clickbait, sensationalism, and misinformation. As a result, we want to reduce the influence of these spammers and deprioritize the links they share more frequently than regular sharers. Of course, this is only one signal among many others that may affect the ranking prioritization of this type of post. This update will only apply to links, such as an individual article, not to domains, Pages, videos, photos, check-ins or status updates.”

The new change and how it affects your Facebook Page

What really matters in the first place, according to Facebook, is the vast amount of posts. However, Mosseri adds that “publishers that get meaningful distribution from people who routinely share vast amounts of public posts per day may see a reduction in the distribution of those specific links.” I think what matters here is the quality of content you post on your Page, and then the volume and frequency.

You can find out how to improve on the quality of your post by keeping in mind these basic guideposts to reach your audience on Facebook. The keyword here is, “quality;” have that at the back if your mind, and there won’t be much of a problem in the long run.

In June 2016, Facebook issued a statement promising a change in how posts show up on its News Feed. “We’ve heard from our community that people are still worried about missing important updates from the friends they care about.” While the company reiterated its commitment to holding on to its core value of getting people connected; it did admit there was a need to change the way things work at the moment.

Share the joy

Share this:

Ola Ric is a professional tech writer. He has written and provided tons of published articles for professionals and private individuals. He is also a social commentator and analyst, with relevant experience in the use of social media services.